Kerry Blue Terrier

The breed's exact origins are uncertain, with legend crediting dogs that swam ashore from a shipwrecked Spanish vessel breeding with local terriers, though it more likely developed over generations from various working terriers in the mountainous southwest of Ireland. Farmers valued the Kerry Blue for its versatility, using it to control vermin, herd livestock, guard the farm and even hunt small game, a genuine jack-of-all-trades in a part of the country where keeping several specialist dogs was impractical. Puppies are born black and lighten gradually to their adult blue-grey shade over the first two years, a distinctive trait of the breed.

In the home the Kerry Blue is confident, intelligent and often quite protective of its family, a legacy of its guarding role, and it can be assertive with unfamiliar dogs without careful socialisation from puppyhood. It thrives with an owner willing to provide consistent training and a decent amount of daily exercise, and its soft, wavy coat, unlike most terriers, does not shed but needs clipping every six to eight weeks, similar to a Poodle's grooming needs. It is a breed that becomes strongly bonded to its family and is not naturally suited to a household that will leave it alone for long stretches.

Today the Kerry Blue is Ireland's national terrier breed, used ceremonially and as a companion, though it remains relatively rare outside Ireland. It suits an experienced dog owner prepared for its grooming commitment and its assertive, sometimes strong-willed nature.